Family Law

• Divorce
  The Family Law practice group at Brown, Hay + Stephens provides divorce and family law services for individuals throughout Central Illinois. Our attorneys diligently and aggressively represent clients’ interests through all aspects of family law disputes.
• Child Support
  Mr. Cross also has extensive experience as a family law and juvenile attorney. He has represented parties in divorce cases, paternity disputes, custody and visitation disputes, removal disputes, child support disputes, and grandparent visitation cases. He has also represented adults and minors in disputed guardianship cases where parents and third parties have had disagreements over where children should reside.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  As a mediator, Mr. Cross has provided mediation services to central Illinois families for more than a decade. Mr. Cross believes that parents and other parties should make every effort to resolve custody and visitation issues rather than submitting these matters to the court for expensive and sometimes unpredictable litigation. Mr. Cross received his mediation training prior to the Illinois Supreme Court’s mediation requirements and has successfully mediated complex custody and visitation issues between parents, parents and grandparents, and parents and other third parties. Mr. Cross approaches mediation with a careful eye focused on the children and with the goal of developing realistic agreements that will last over time.
• Adoption
• Paternity
• Guardianship
• Spousal Support

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Daniel L. Fultz focuses his practice in state and federal criminal defense, primarily serious felony charges. He has extensive trial experience and frequently presents to other attorneys at criminal defense seminars throughout the State of Illinois.
• DUI/DWI
  States throughout the country are getting tougher in the area of DUI/DWI and Traffic enforcement. Illinois is no different. It is important to protect your rights and defend yourself during the prosecution of an alleged DUI/DWI. It is also important to work to protect your driving privileges from suspension or revocation by the Secretary of State.
• Sex Crimes
• Fraud
• Robbery
• Burglary
• Theft
• Misdemeanors
  From the most serious felonies to misdemeanor allegations, the criminal defense attorneys at Brown, Hay + Stephens understand the personal impact criminal charges can have inside and outside the courtroom. We provide considerate, compassionate assistance in addressing our clients' problems. In addition to client service, we regularly present to other attorneys and publish articles about criminal law.
• Drug Crimes
• Murder
• Juvenile Crimes
  Roland R. Cross is a Partner at Brown, Hay + Stephens. He focuses his practice on education law, employment law, family law, juvenile law and the rights of minors, and mediation. He has represented clients in state and federal court, as well as before various state and local agencies.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Daniel L. Hamilton has a diversified practice focusing on real estate, transactional matters, and employment law. Mr. Hamilton is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Southern Illinois University School of Law. Mr. Hamilton facilitates and represents clients in commercial and residential real estate transactions, as well as zoning, construction, financing, mineral rights, and property tax matters. He works with business clients in transactional matters, including asset, stock, and structured sales. Mr. Hamilton also assists businesses and not-for-profit organizations with corporate governance and intellectual property matters like trademark and copyright filing and maintenance.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Business Disputes
  The Business Law practice group at Brown, Hay + Stephens provides full-service business transaction and contract law services, providing knowledgeable outside legal counsel and effective representation for businesses throughout Central Illinois.
• Business Transactions
  Brown Hay + Stephens' attorneys get positive results for clients in administrative appeals across environmental law areas and assist clients in ascertaining and achieving their compliance goals, providing environmental due diligence in business transactions, and assisting with permitting. Learn more about our Environmental Law practice group.
• Construction Contracts
• Intellectual Property
• Unfair Competition

Employment Law

• Workers Compensation
• Employment Discrimination
  From 2002 until 2018 Anneliese was a Contractual Administrative Hearing Officer for the Illinois Secretary of State overseeing hearings related to the revocation of Illinois drivers’ licenses. Between 1998 and 2018 she was of counsel for a Springfield law firm which specialized in employment discrimination litigation. She worked for a medical malpractice defense law firm in Belleville, Illinois, from 1996 to 1998 and was an Assistant Attorney General with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office between 1994 and 1996.
• Employment Contract
  We help clients establish a practice, craft or review employment agreements and address concerns with professional licenses for issuance or discipline.
• Employment Litigation
  In the employment law realm, Mr. Hamilton advises on general employment law matters, assists with federal contractor compliance obligations, prepares OFCCP compliant affirmative action plans, and represents employers in collective-bargaining and employment disputes.
• Non-compete Agreement

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  The Real Estate lawyers at Brown, Hay & Stephens are experienced in every stage of real estate transactions, such as acquisitions and dispositions, easements, construction, leasing, financing, zoning and environmental matters. We also regularly represent clients in real estate litigation.
• Premises Liability
• Construction Litigation
  Dylan practiced for seven years as an Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. During that time, he gained extensive litigation experience prosecuting and defending civil suits and administrative review matters brought against state agencies and employees in both state and federal court, as well as matters before the Illinois Civil Service Commission, the Illinois State Police Merit Board, the Illinois Secretary of State Merit Board, the Illinois Court of Claims, and the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Dylan regularly defended matters involving claims of civil rights violations, as well as employment claims brought pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Dylan also has experience handling matters in the area of construction law.
• Real Estate Transactions
  We had our beginnings over 180 years ago providing real estate right-of-way legal services for railroad companies throughout Illinois. Today, our real estate attorneys remain committed to providing the highest level of expertise and integrity in the area of real estate.
• Eminent Domain
  Ted has been in private practice since 1985, concentrated in the defense of personal injury and eminent domain actions. He frequently serves as mediator or arbitrator in such cases. He was recently elected to the Board of Governors of the Illinois State Bar Association.
• Easement
• Land Use and Zoning
• Property Damage

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Ted’s trial experience is extensive, having tried more than 100 jury trials to verdict in Christian, Coles, Greene, Fayette, Macon, Macoupin, Montgomery, Sangamon and Shelby Counties. He has also actively directed and participated in non-jury litigation in more than 52 other counties in Illinois, including Madison, St. Clair and Bond. He presently devotes better than 95% of his practice to the litigation of personal injury claims. He is recognized by the Leading Lawyers Network for excellence in the practice of insurance defense litigation.
• Medical Malpractice
  William A. “Bill” Davis focuses his practice in the area of litigation of almost all types.  With a primary focus of medical malpractice defense, Bill has represented a number of doctors, nurses, and other medical staff in professional litigation.  With years of experience, starting at the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, he has tried dozens of jury trials to verdict.  Bill practices in both state and federal courts, taking part in litigation from the filing of a complaint to jury verdict.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Brandon's practice focuses on the representation of clients in estate planning, probate estate administration, trust matters, and in real estate issues, with particular concentration on the representation of agricultural clients. He also regularly advises clients in the formation and governance of business entities.
• Wills
• Trusts
  He graduated from the University of Illinois (B.A. 1992), Southern Illinois University (M.A. 1994), and the University of Illinois College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1999). Mr. Drake is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He serves on the Section Council for American Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section and on the Illinois State Bar Association Business and Financial Planning Section Council. He is a frequent lecturer both nationally and locally, has published numerous articles on tax and estate planning in such publications as Trusts and Estates, Practical Tax Lawyer and Probate & Property, as well as being quoted in the Wall Street Journal.
• Power of Attorney
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure
  Mr. Fairfield often lectures to other legal professionals in bankruptcy, mortgage foreclosures, and distressed loan topics at continuing legal education programs throughout the state.
• Tax Law
  We provide primary legislative counseling and lobby services to many individual clients as well as industry and trade groups. We have extensive experience in building coalitions, with particularly strong substantive experience on energy issues, tax issues, and public transportation and other large public projects requiring legislative authorization.